Remembering The Past
by QueenOfTheYaoi
Summary: It's Axel's birthday but the only thing on his mind was that fateful day.  He goes to the clock tower for peace but somebody finds him.  What happens when he shares his past with the only person who already knows it?  AxelXSaix, slight yaoi, slight angst.


Axel stood on the edge of the clock tower balcony, face completely stoic as he stared down at the citizens scuttling around like ants. Well, he wasn't staring at them exactly, just in their general direction. He had too much on his mind to people watch, as he usually did when he was relaxing up here. Today was his birthday. Not Lea's, his. The anniversary of the day his heart was taken and he became a Nobody. He sighed as the pictures flooded into his mind for the sixth time that day.

_He's in the forest. It was just a walk. A walk with his best friend. A walk that ended their lives. They arrived at a clearing. Lea sighed and sat on the bench in the center of the clearing._

"_I hate not being able to sleep."_

"_Yeah, I hate you not being able to sleep, too." Lea rolled his eyes._

"_Shut it, Isa, you didn't have to come with me."_

"_I was supposed to let you wander around a forest at two in the morning on your own? Who knows what kind of trouble you would've gotten into."_

"_Hey! You calling me a troublemaker?"_

"_Well, I'm definitely not calling you a trouble breaker." Lea laughed at his friend._

"_Man, that was corny!"_

"_Whatever, you get my point-" The other boy froze. "Did you hear that?" Lea listened carefully._

"_I don't hear anything."_

"_It…Sounds like…ruffling…the tree leaves…"_

"_The wind?"_

"_No…" He caught a glimpse of something lunge. "Lea, move!"_

"_Huh?" The redhead didn't have time to respond. His friend tackled him to the ground. "Dude, what was that for?"_

"_Before you bite my head off, look behind you." Lea turned. A heartless was standing with his back turned to him. The heartless turned to face the redhead again. It looked rather human, besides the long antennae and piercing yellow eyes. It snapped it's long fingers and six more appeared. Lea and his friend stood, both their eyes wide with fear. Lea grabbed Isa's sleeve._

"_Run!" Lea ran out of the clearing, the other following. The heartless chased. The two boys didn't get far. They made it to the forest wall and realized they were trapped. The heartless slowly closed in. "We…We're gonna die, aren't we…" Isa's eyes filled with sadness._

"_It looks that way." His voice stayed calm in an attempt to soothe the redhead._

"_I guess we can't do all the stupid stuff we wanted to. We didn't get to do much of anything." The other stayed silent. "I guess…dying with you makes sense, doesn't it? Together for everything. Even this." Lea laughed a bit._

"_I suppose we share too much." The boy smirked._

"_It's disappointing. I wanted to be remembered. If I die now…I guess that won't happen."_

"…_You'll be remembered, Lea. Once someone meets you, you're hard to forget. And I know that from personal experience."_

"_Heh, I do leave a mark, don't I?"_

"_Yeah, you do. Besides, I'll remember you, too." Lea's eyes brimmed with tears._

"_You aren't gonna get the chance. You won't be able to remember me, or do anything else. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have dragged you with me."_

"_Don't be." The boy smiled. "I'm glad I came. I wouldn't want you to die alone." The heartless creeped in, inky blackness starting to pool at the boys' feet._

"_I…I'm scared…"_

"…_Me too." The other boy reached over and grabbed the redhead's hand. "You know you're my best friend, right?" Lea was silent for a minute. He tightened his grip on the other's hand._

"_I know, I know. I definitely won't forget that."_

"_Good, if you ever did, my spirit would find you and kick your ass." They both laughed together, just for old time's sake. They were going to die. One more laugh about the good times they had wouldn't hurt. Lea's laughter was replaced by a shriek of horror as two of the heartless lunged at him again. He shut his eyes tightly. "Lea, NO!" He heard the slashing, but felt nothing. Was he already dead? He opened his eyes, slightly relieved that he could still feel his pulse. The relief didn't last long. His friend fell back into his arms with a thud. He looked into the dying eyes and couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Then understanding hit him._

"_Y-you…you…protected me…" The boy in his arms nodded slightly. Blood poured from a large slash in his chest as Lea clutched him closer. "But…why would you do that?" The boy coughed and Lea was terrified to see the blood that spattered his pale hands._

"_I was…being selfish…I couldn't stand to see you die…so I died first…a little more time for you…run away, Lea…and don't cry for me…" Tears pooled in the other's eyes as he reached up to ruffle Lea's hair. He smiled a bit. "I'll miss you, Lea…" The body in his arms went limp, the hand falling to the ground. The tears came faster._

"_I-Isa? Isa! ISA! No, Isa, Say something, please! Anything! No Isa No, you can't be gone! Please don't die! ISAAA!" Lea's body tensed. He knew he had to run. His friend was gone. There was nothing he could do. But he couldn't bring himself to let Isa's body go. The icy, stinging tendrils of darkness caressed him once again, but Lea stayed still. At this point, he'd rather die. His reason for living was gone. All seven lunged at him. He jumped away from them, but not to escape them. He was gonna be torn to shreds. He didn't want Isa, whether he'd already lost his life's flame or not, have that happen to him. He had gotten a good ten feet away from Isa when they got him. Claws tore and ripped as ghostly hands dug into his chest. He was battered and bruised when his heart, red and flaming, was pulled out. Knowing their work was done, the heartless dissipated into smoke. Lea coughed, not caring about the blood that he had coughed up. One hand clutched the bleeding hole in his chest as the other held himself up against the wall. He staggered towards Isa, falling to his knees about two feet away. "I'm…Sorry…Isa…I couldn't leave you…" He fell to the ground, but miraculously was still breathing, although he knew that wouldn't last long. He looked at Isa's lifeless face and smirked, brushing a few strands away from his paled features. "Heh…Only you…Only you would die with a smile on your face…" He grabbed Isa's hand, twining his fingers with his friend's. "You're my best friend too…I'll never forget that…Or you…"_

_With that, Lea breathed his last._

Axel sighed. That's all it was now, a memory. A past reality.

"I had a feeling I'd find you up here." Axel tensed and turned toward the voice.

"What do you want?"

"My my, a rather rude way to address me on my birthday." He stood on the ledge next to Axel. "I was simply making sure you stayed out of trouble."

"Are you calling me a troublemaker?"

"Well, I'm definitely not calling you a trouble breaker." Axel laughed, but the sound lacked any humor.

"That was even cornier than the first time you said it." Saix nodded.

"I agree." Saix sat on the ledge and looked up at Axel. "Why are you here? You always were fond of high places, but not without reason." The redhead sighed.

"Thinking."

"Of?"

"What do you think? It's our birthday. What else would I be thinking of?"

"Your twisted thoughts are a mystery to me. You've been reliving the night we died?"

"Basically, yes. And my thoughts are _not_ twisted!" Saix rolled his eyes.

"If that's all you're thinking about, then why do you appear so bothered?" He said the comment sarcastically, knowing full well Axel can't really feel bothered.

"Why wouldn't the topic bother me? There's so much about that night I don't understand."

"Such as?"

"Why you came with me. Why you defended me." Saix stood again.

"I didn't. Isa did."

"You were a part of Isa once."

"But I'm not, anymore. I'm a vessel filled with his thoughts and memories." Axel hummed. If Saix had been Isa…he should know why, right?

"Well then, tell me. Why did you…I mean, why did Isa go with Lea? Why did he save him?" Isa had been a good runner. If he'd really tried, he could've gotten away. He could've warned Radiant Gardens about the heartless.

"Naïve fool. Isa saved Lea for a reason we can no longer comprehend. Out of love."

"Isa loved Lea?"

"Yes. He would've done anything for him. Even die, apparently."

"Romantic love?"

"No, not romantic, but just as strong. They had been like brothers. They shared everything. Regardless of Lea's stupidity."

"And regardless of Isa's uptightness." Saix rolled his eyes again.

"I suppose I shouldn't take offense to that."

"No, you shouldn't. You're worse with that kind of crap than Isa was. …Now _that_ you can take offense to." Saix grunted.

"Why in hell do I put up with you?" Axel smirked.

"Because you used to love me."

"But I don't. Not anymore. The past is the past. It has no standing on the present." The pyro was silent for a few moments.

"There is one more detail I don't understand."

"Which is?"

"Lea cried for Isa. After he died, Lea lost the will to fight. To live. I don't get it." Saix's eyes widened with what would be shock at the statement.

"He gave up after I died?" His brow furrowed. "That idiot…I defended him so he could run…" Saix, realizing an error in his words, cleared his throat. "I mean…Isa defended him so he could run."

"Hard, isn't it? Thinking of yourself as separate from your past self." Saix nodded. "That's who we were. We weren't Axel and Saix. We were Lea and Isa. We were each other's reason for living. Once Lea lost you- er, Isa, he lost his will to fight on. I get it now."

"Good to hear you finally understand everything."

"Well, not everything." Saix sighed.

"Dare I ask what else you can't wrap your head around?" Axel was silent. "Well?"

"What's so different now? Why aren't we like that anymore?" Saix tapped his chin, honestly contemplating the question.

"Everything changed. We can't be that close anymore. We don't have hearts to love each other with anymore. Any emotion we think we're feeling is just a trick of our memories." Axel looked down, again at nothing in particular.

"I used to believe what I felt was real…"

"…As did I. But I've accepted the fact that they weren't."

"You were still you when I first woke up."

"I was still me?"

"You acted as if you had emotions." Saix winced.

_It had been a week since the attack. Why wasn't Lea here? His nobody had been found unconscious. Lea, renamed Axel, was lying in bed, looking utterly lifeless beside from the soft rising and falling of his chest. Isa, now named Saix, sat on the edge of his bed._

"_Why haven't you come back to me yet?" Saix sighed. "You didn't forget, did you?" His hand brushed over Axel's forehead. The redhead stirred and sleepily opened his eyes. He looked up at Saix and grunted._

"_Go away Isa, I'm still tired. I don't wanna go to school…" Then the events of the previous week flooded his mind. His eyes snapped back open and he bolted straight up in the bed. "I…Isa?" Saix sighed in relief and smiled._

"_Morning, sunshine." Axel's eyes teared. He hugged Saix._

"_Isa…Y-you're alive! And…I am too! Oh god, I'm so happy you're okay! Dude, never jump in front of a monster again, whether it's for my well being or not!"_

"_Uh, we humans have a need for a little thing called oxygen, Lea, so if you would be so kind as to let me go so I can get some, I'd appreciate it." Axel jumped back, blinking the tears back._

"_Right, Sorry." His eyes were clear now, and his jaw dropped when he saw Saix's face. He reached up and ran a finger along the X shaped scar. "Did…did this happen because of me?"_

"_No, it happened because I didn't want you to die. Apparently it didn't help, seeing as we're sitting here having this conversation."_

"_But…We're alive! What happened, It was too real to be a dream but…we survived it!" Saix shook his head._

"_No, Lea, we didn't. We aren't who we once were."_

"_How can that be? You're Isa, anyone with eyes can see-" He glanced at Saix, holding back a small gasp. "What…what happened to your eyes? They're yellow…And your hair…It's longer. What the hell is going on?"_

"_Like I said, I'm not Isa anymore. And you aren't Lea anymore. When we were reborn, we were renamed. Simple as that."_

"_Renamed. Huh. So what's your new name?"_

"_Saix." Axel laughed._

"_Nice to meetcha, Saix. And mine?"_

"_Axel."_

"_Axel…I like the sound of that." Saix smirked._

"_You're easily amused."_

"_Am not!"_

"_Yes you are."_

"_Hmph. And your hair looks funny."_

"_My hair looks funny? Go look at your face." Saix pointed to a mirror on the wall. Axel stood up and instantly crumpled to the ground._

"_Uh…I can't walk."_

"_Yes you can, your new body is just gonna take some getting used to." Saix held out a hand, which Axel grabbed, pulling himself up. He stumbled to the mirror. The redhead felt his jaw drop as he gazed at his reflection. You know that man in the crowd that you swear you know but don't? That's what Axel was seeing. A familiar stranger. He touched the area under his left eye. An upside down teardrop tattoo was neatly under it, a matching one under the right._

"_What the…Did someone tattoo me in my sleep? How in hell did I not feel it?" Saix shook his head._

"_No one's been in here but me. And I didn't do it. We are both what are called Nobodies. Every Nobody has small physical differences from their Somebody. Hence my gold eyes as opposed to Isa's green ones."_

"_But why tattoos?" Saix shrugged._

"_No clue. I personally think it's an improvement."_

"_Oh, shut it, Isa."_

"_Saix!"_

"_Whatever! I'm pretty sure you'll always be Isa to me." Saix sighed again, but nodded._

"_I suppose it's my fault. I did say I'd kick your ass if you ever forgot me."_

"_Yeah, exactly!" They both laughed. The bluenette stood._

"_You should get some rest." Axel nodded and hobbled back to the bed, laying down._

"_Good idea. So you'll come check on me later?"_

"_Of course. Need to make sure you don't cause trouble, after all."_

"_Hey!" Saix smirked slyly and slipped out the door before Axel could complain further. Smirk still on his face, he began to walk down the hallway, until a voice stopped him._

"_My my, number VII, what was that about?" Saix turned and stared into acid green eyes._

"_Axel is awake."_

"_Yes, so I've heard. Why were you speaking to him in such a manner?"_

"_What do you mean?" The man with acid eyes and long blonde hair came closer._

"_Why were you speaking with emotion?"_

"_I don't know what you're talking about. That's how I always talk."_

"_You shouldn't speak like that anymore. We have no emotions. We should not make it sound as such."_

"_What do you mean, we don't have emotions?"_

"_I mean exactly what I said, VII. It's a tradeoff, so to speak. We get a second chance at life in exchange for our hearts. But without hearts, we cannot truly feel. Cannot truly exist." Saix's hands balled into fists._

"_You're lying. I still feel emotions. For him."_

"_Just a side effect of your memories. You only think you're feeling."_

"_No, it isn't true…"_

"_Face facts, child. You cannot love him any longer. You cannot care for him, or anything else, until you regain your heart." The man opened a portal and left. Saix leaned heavily against the wall and slid down it._

"_He's…He's lying…He must be lying…I can feel…with him I can feel…that means he's wrong…doesn't it? Or…am I wrong?" Saix rubbed his temple, anticipating the impending headache._

Saix shook the images out of his head. "At first I also believed the emotions I 'felt' were my own, but Vexen proved otherwise. I believe whichever side offers the most evidence."

"So what would it take for me to prove we do?"

"Why even try?" Axel was silent for a full two minutes.

"I…I don't know." He sighed. "I just want my friend back."

"But you fail to understand that I'm not Isa."

"Yes you are! You were, at least. And deep down I bet you still are."

"I was created from him. That much is true. But I'm nothing like him."

"Will you just shut up? You are like him! You still hate the heat, you're still a moon worshipping werewolf, your favorite food is still pizza, your favorite drink is still orange soda, you still love sea salt ice cream even though you won't admit it, and you still look out for me, even if you don't realize it! You're _exactly_ like him!" Saix just stared at him, dumbfounded.

"How did you even know all that?"

"You're one of the few things in this damned Organization that's worth listening to." He paused. "At least in my mind."

"Fine, I'll admit, Isa and I do have a few similarities."

"A few? Don't kid yourself."

"Okay, several similarities. As do you and Lea."

"We do?"

"Yes. Both stubborn and hard headed, both hyperactive, both immature," Axel sucked his teeth at the immature part. "And both somehow born with the innate ability to annoy and amaze me at the same time."

"I amazed you?"

"Your stupidity definitely amazed me. It still does."

"Oh hush, you." Axel punched Saix's arm.

"What? You weren't the hottest stick in the fire, excuse the pun."

"Hey! And you were?"

"Well, I was top in our class." Saix dawned a cocky smirk.

"Ugh. It's not my fault the teacher had something against me!"

"Yes it was, you shot spitballs at her and never did your homework." Axel rubbed the back of his head. He had received many detentions for those two reasons, along with several others for reasons unknown.

"Oh shut up, you were teacher's pet."

"Better than being the class clown."

"Grr." He punched Saix's arm again, this time harder. The bluenette rubbed his arm.

"Hey, that one kind of hurt."

"Aww, does puppy need a band aid?" Saix glared.

"I do _not_ need a band aid, and do _not_ call me that ridiculous nickname!" Axel laughed. Isa loved the moon. Because of that, their classmates called him "werewolf". Lea, being Lea, reduced that to puppy, claiming that werewolf sounded too cool and intimidating for Isa's personality.

"But whyyy?"

"Because I said so! What are we, ten again? I've outgrown that name."

"Can I still call you werewolf then?" Saix sighed.

"Fine, insufferable idiot…"

"Oh, come on, lighten up! If it makes you feel better, you put the Twilight werewolves to shame." Saix rolled his eyes.

"What did I tell you about going into Larxene's room and stealing her DVD's?" Axel sighed.

"That stealing is wrong and she'd kill me if she ever caught me."

"Hmm, so you do listen to me after all."

"Told ya." Saix laughed a little before sitting on the ledge again, Axel following.

"It's times like this…I wish we hadn't died that night. That I wish we were still living as Isa and Lea in Radiant Gardens, you laughing like the numb skull you were and me laughing like the numb skull you were slowly turning me into."

"Ha, I corrupted you!"

"Yes, yes you did. I should probably thank you for that."

"You're welcome."

"I said I should, not that I would." Axel pouted and the world was still for a minute. Then they both broke out laughing.

"You're still too prideful!"

"And what's wrong with that?"

"Heh, nothing, nothing. Besides, what's a werewolf without pride?"

"I can already tell, I'm going to regret giving you permission to call me that." Axel smiled.

"Yeah, probably." The sun had set and they sat in silence, gazing up at the stars. "They still look the same as they did that night in the forest." Saix nodded.

"I can't help but wonder, though…"

"Wonder what?"

"If we hadn't gone to the forest…If Radiant Gardens had never been attacked…If Isa and Lea were still alive…you think what they had would've turned into romantic love?" Axel's eyes were wide.

"Dude, where'd that come from?" Saix smirked.

_A party. It happened at a party. It wasn't supposed to happen. Hell, they weren't even supposed to be there. But they were. And the consequence of that? Somehow, in all the hustle and bustle, being locked in a closet together. Isa pounded on the door as Lea found a good place to sit._

"_Dude, we're gonna be here until someone either opens the closet door or turns off the music and hears us." Isa sighed. The closet was pretty big for a closet. It was about 20x30 feet. And to make it seem roomier, it was nearly empty. It was also well lit, but that didn't change the fact that he was locked in a closet with his best friend. He sat across from Lea._

"_What do you suggest we do then?"_

"_A bunch of girls from school locked us in here, right?"_

"_Yeah, what's your point?"_

"_What do hormone crazed teenage girls usually want to see?" Isa thought for a minute._

"…_Shoe sales?" Lea smacked his forehead V8 style. Isa winced. "Ow! What was that for?"_

"_You are so __**clueless**__ when it comes to girls, man."_

"_Oh, and you aren't?"_

"_I know a thing or two." Isa rolled his eyes._

"_Oh please. I bet you haven't even had your first kiss yet." Lea smirked._

"_So what if I haven't? There's nothing wrong with saving it."_

"_You're a pervert, I thought perverts would __**want**__ to have their first kiss before they turn sixteen." Lea furrowed his brow._

"_I'm not a pervert!"_

"_Yes you are, you get it from that brother of yours." Lea glared, half at Isa, half at a mental picture of his older brother Reno._

"_Hey, leave Reno out of it."_

"_How about you come over here and make me?" Lea stood up, walked to Isa, and looked down at him. Isa stood and looked down at the redhead, now half a head taller than him. Then they both broke out laughing, sitting on the floor again._

"_Haha, it's not fair! You hit puberty first, that's the only reason you're taller than me!"_

"_That isn't it, I think all that sea salt ice cream stunted your growth."_

"_It did not, it's calcium! It should help me grow!"_

"_Well then drink a lot of milk. No girl is ever gonna want to kiss a small fry like you." Amused green locked with embarrassed and annoyed aqua and the staredown began._

"_I said I was saving it."_

"_For?" A blush made its way onto Lea's face, regardless of how hard he tried to make it recede._

"_it's a secret."_

"_A secret. Since when have you kept secrets from me?" All was silent for a few moments. Isa searched Lea's eyes for emotion but found none besides the usual mischevious gleam, enhanced with a bit of embarrassment. Lea sighed._

"_I'm saving it for someone important to me."_

"_Like?" Lea smirked._

"_Forget it, I've said too much as it is."_

"_What, you don't trust me?"_

"_No, Of course I trust you. I…I'm just reluctant to talk about it, I guess."_

"_Hmm…" Isa tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I think you should go for it."_

"_Huh?"_

"_Go for it. Go find whoever you're saving your first kiss for and give it to them."_

"…_Maybe I will. But…what if I said…it was a boy?" Isa rubbed the back of his head._

"_I wouldn't care. You'd always be my friend. And he shouldn't either. He'll understand if he likes you, too. Just do it and let things go from there." The mischievous gleam in the redhead's eyes brightened and a smirk found home on his lips. His face reddened deeper._

"_And if I said it was you?" Isa raised an eyebrow, his brain not totally understanding what his friend had just said._

"_Wait, what?" The bluenette's mouth was hanging from their hinges, something that rarely happened to the stoic teen. His mouth shut when Lea grabbed the collar of his coat and yanked him forward. Their noses were almost touching._

"_You heard me." The redhead closed the distance, pressing his lips against his friend's. Isa's mind went blank. It wasn't wet or sloppy. There was movement, but only slightly from Lea in an attempt to get Isa to relax into it and kiss back, which eventually he did. It was clean and calm, but warm and meaningful all at once. And it felt pretty good to both of them. Lea, deeming the kiss as a success, broke away and stood up, panting lightly. The smirk was still on his lips. Isa, still in shock, looked Lea in the eyes. No words had to be said. The message was there, hidden in the bluish green eyes._

_**You mean so damn much to me. You mean the world to me. You're my everything. You're my past, present, and future. You're my entire life.**_

_Isa nodded and stood. "That was unexpected." Lea simply shrugged._

"_Expect the unexpected. Got it memorized?" The redhead winked and Isa rolled his eyes. "Now let's get out of here."_

"_How? The door is still locked." Lea smiled brightly._

"_Yeaaaaah, about that…" The redhead pulled out a key and unlocked the door. It swung open, revealing the party scene once more. "One of the girls felt guilty so she gave me the closet key before she stuffed us in here." Murderous rage overcame Isa. He shut the closet door again, this time standing in front of it._

"_You aren't leaving until you tell me why you did that." Lea blushed and rubbed the back of his head, smiling innocently._

"_I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."_

"_Yes you do, now tell me why or so help me…"_

"_So help you what, you'll kill me? Yeah right." Isa snapped. He tackled Lea to the ground, landing with a thud._

"_Don't encourage me. I might just do it, laws be damned." Lea rivaled his hair in redness and stayed quiet._

"_Can you get off me?"_

"_Not until you explain yourself."_

"_You're really gonna make me say it? Why are you being so mean, bro?"_

"_Because I can be, and say what?" The redhead offered a big, honest smile._

"_Cuz I love ya, ok?" All was silent for a few minutes. Then they laughed together again. Isa stood up and helped his friend to his feet._

"_Lets get outta here, lover boy."_

"_Hey!"_

Saix couldn't help but smile. "Surely you remember that, right lover boy? After all, it was your first kiss. …As well as my own, now that I think about it." Axel blushed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, I… uh…"

"Care to explain your logic?"

"I…Well…I just figured, y'know… If I was gonna kiss anyone it might as well be someone I loved and trusted. You seemed to best fit that description. Besides, I like getting under your skin."

"Yes, that definitely got under my skin. But what annoyed me more was the fact that I couldn't figure out why you had done it."

"Like I said before, cuz I love ya." Saix rolled his eyes.

"I will never understand the things that transpire in that spike covered head of yours."

"Um, what does transpire mean again?" Saix glared.

"Although whatever it is, it obviously doesn't involve vocabulary."

"Hey!" Saix laughed.

"I think…given the circumstances of our relationship and all, we would've switched teams for each other within a year."

"One more year and I could've made out with you in public? Damn, you're rubbing salt in the wound."

"What wound?"

"The wound of dying, of course. If we hadn't…who knows what would be different?"

"True. I could've gotten on you to do your homework more."

"And I could've gotten on _you_ to pull that pole out of your ass."

"Language!"

"Ha! Remember that time you accidentally got drunk? You were cursing like a sailor!"

"I did no such thing!"

"Yes you did, you would be able to out curse the Scarecrow guy!"

"Jack _Sparrow_, nitwit. And it wasn't that bad."

"Yes it was!"

"Fine, it was pretty bad, but it's your fault for telling me the stuff was water."

"No, it's your fault for going loopy after one drink!"

"How old were we, twelve? I wasn't used to alcohol."

"And you are now?"

"Yes. Well, no…but I bet I could handle it better now."

"We'll have to test that when we RTC. Speaking of which, what time is it?" Saix looked at the moon. He had a weird way of knowing what time it was just by staring at the sky.

"It's about 11:00 pm."

"Damn. Time flies when you're having fun thinking about the past."

"Indeed it does." They both got off the ledge. Axel opened a portal and walked towards it. Saix didn't follow. The redhead turned.

"You coming?" Saix shook his head.

"I think I'll stay here for a bit." Axel nodded.

"Don't take too long, puppy." Saix growled and turned his attention back to the moon and stars above. Axel turned on his heel, but again stopped and turned around again. "Oh and one more thing." He walked towards Saix, mischevious glint returning to his eyes, if only for a moment. Saix didn't pay the pyro any mind until he was standing inches away. The next thing he knew, the redhead's hands were gripping his collar, pulling him up into a kiss. Saix's eyes widened before slipping closed. It was much like their first. Neat and gentle, but still loving and passionate. The bluenette made a small sound when the redhead pulled away. Axel smirked, obviously pleased with the reaction. "Happy birthday." He let go of Saix's collar and slipped through the portal. Saix sighed contently and went to sit on the edge again.

"Such a strange boy he was. And still is." The second-in-command licked his lips, which now tasted faintly of apples and cinnamon. That's when he noticed a fluttering in his stomach, along with a hot face. He couldn't help but laugh at himself. "Perhaps I don't need a heart to feel. He obviously doesn't." Saix inwardly noted that technically, that had been his first kiss since becoming a nobody. Axel had taken him first, yet again. He'd have to mention that to him later.

He also noted that Axel was a naturally good kisser. Saix smirked inwardly. He'd have to test that later, too. Or rather, he just wanted to. Either way, Saix would make sure they kissed again.

Very. Very. Soon.


End file.
